Sir Henry Cooper obituary | Sport | The Guardian Sir Henry Cooper obituary British heavyweight boxing champion known for his warmth, indomitable spirit and a left hook dubbed 'Enry's 'Ammer Muhammad Ali and Henry Cooper before their world heavyweight title fight in London. Photograph: Aubrey Hart/Getty Images Sunday 1 May 2011 17.31 EDT First published on Sunday 1 May 2011 17.31 EDT Share on Messenger Close Sir Henry Cooper , beloved of British postwar generations as no heavyweight boxer before him, has died aged 76. His warmth and indomitable personality, together with his rise from humble roots, gave him a popularity far beyond his sport's normal boundaries. He was never world champion, but his good spirits seemed to hold a gift for everyone, even for his most notable conqueror, Muhammad Ali. At Wembley stadium, on 18 June 1963, Cooper landed Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, on his pants with a punch that made boxing history – a left hook travelling five and a half inches at 30mph with 60 times the force of gravity, striking the side of the American's jaw.

The world came to know it as 'Enry's 'Ammer, and it felled Ali as never before. However, in front of 55,000 people, Ali was "saved by the bell" amid unique controversy. Ali, then 21, had fought only one major figure, the ageing Archie Moore, before his arrival in London to meet Cooper, the experienced 29-year-old British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, over 10 rounds. With a multimillion-dollar syndicate behind Ali's world championship ambition, and Cooper in his prime, it was a fight attracting worldwide interest. Already, the Kentucky fighter's braggadocio ("I am the prettiest ... I am the greatest") had brought him the title of the Louisville Lip. But, after Cooper's hammer blow, Ali's corner were up to various tricks before the Englishman fell victim to a cut eye in the fifth round. In later years, Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee, admitted tweaking the loose stitching of his fighter's right glove so that the formal minute interval was stretched by six seconds before a replacement was found. His use of smelling salts also defied the rules. "For a fit man," Cooper said later, "seconds are a lifetime.

When you are really trained up, you need only 20 seconds and you are back to your old self." Ali's long reach and quickness posed Cooper, himself the lightest of heavyweights, 13st 13lb at his heaviest, some early problems. "For my money, he was the fastest heavyweight of all time, and a stone and a half heavier than me," Cooper acknowledged. "There was never a still target in front of you. He wasn't a counter-puncher, nothing to compare with Floyd Patterson . Nor a puncher like Rocky Marciano. It was a flicker with the left, or a long-arm right that could drag and tear your skin." Ali caught Cooper with a typical blow in the third round. Jim Wicks, Cooper's manager, known as "The Bishop" and always protective of his man, was all for ending the fight as the blood flowed down his fighter's cheek. Cooper, in the corner interval, pleaded for one more round as his "cuts" man, Danny Holland, applied an adrenalin-Vaseline compound. In Cooper's view, he could still take his man – and he very nearly did.

The 'Ammer smacked into Ali's chin as he backed into the ropes, the American's speed for once not saving him. Ali slid down the ropes, the slowness helping him. The referee, Tommy Little, reached a count of five, then Ali rose, in Cooper's view like an amateur, his arms dangling, an open target. But the bell rang, and boxing history took another turn. "Oh boy!" was Cooper's autobiographical note. "If it had only happened in the second minute." As it was, Ali took the world title in his next fight, against Sonny Liston. Cooper was to meet Ali – by then, his name had been formally changed after his conversion to Islam – for a world title fight at Arsenal's Highbury stadium, London, on 21 May 1966. Again the fight had to be stopped for a cut eye, this time in the sixth round. The gash was deeper and longer than any of Cooper's career. The Englishman reckoned himself narrowly ahead on points, but the blow was typically Ali, a long punch grazing with the heel of the glove. "It was a physical thing that let me down," Cooper said.

"Prominent bones and weak tissue around the eyes. But I was never as bad as my brother, George. After all, I went on until I was 37." For years afterwards, Ali would pay tribute to Cooper. British boxing writers visiting him in the US would be told: "Give my regards to Henry." Overall, Cooper's record was unmatched by any British fighter of his or any other time – winner of 40 of his 55 contests, 27 by knockout, one drawn, in a 17-year career from 1954 to 1971; winner of three Lonsdale belts for three successive British heavyweight title victories; holder of European and Commonwealth/Empire titles for sustained periods, the British for about 11 years. Many thought him unlucky to lose his last fight, and all three titles, to Joe Bugner, with a controversial points decision by the referee Harry Gibbs at Wembley stadium, on 16 March 1971. Cooper had a strong regard for the boxers of his time, men such as Brian London, Joe Erskine, Joe Bygraves, Dick Richardson, Jack Bodell and, at the last, Bugner.

In his later years, he came to despise what he saw as tawdry dealings in overweight punch slingers with little of the skill that he had prized. Even for his times, he was nearer the cruiserweight mark than a true heavyweight, but the weight of his left hook was that of a champion, and the postwar sporting world provided him with a multitude of fans, to whom he was ever attached. "Old mums and good-looking young girls, it didn't matter," he said. "Running along the street for your Ali training, they'd shout at you, 'Button his lip.' Not that I minded. His lip earned me good money." Cooper, too, could be swift and able with the spoken word. In a 1970 TV debate, Lady (Edith) Summerskill, a notable opponent of boxing, inquired: "Mr Cooper, have you looked in the mirror and seen the state of your nose?" Quickly, he replied: "Well, have you? Boxing is my excuse – what's yours?" It was ungallant, he acknowledged afterwards, but after a pleasant-enough discussion she had rather ambushed him.

Cooper's career coincided with the dawn of the black-and-white TV era, and he was soon to stand with Stanley Matthews , Lester Piggott, Bobby Charlton, Roger Bannister, Leonard Hutton and Denis Compton as a national sporting hero. In his case, too, it extended to a long semi-retirement in which charity and public entertainment played a significant part. He was knighted in 2000 as much for public services as for his boxing skill and courage. They were qualities much leavened by a natural humour and modesty. He was an unabashed royalist, and made no secret of his pleasure in attending lunch at Buckingham Palace with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Cooper loved to tell of his beginnings, and the tales were later repeated in pubs and civic halls all over the country. "We were born, George and me, on 3 May 1934 ... the biggest surprise of my mother's life. Not wanting to see the x-rays beforehand, she was going to call us Walter. Then one of the nurses took a peep at us and said, 'They're a proper little Henry and George.

They're going to be six-footers.' And that's how it stuck." George was to fight professionally as Jim because of another George Cooper boxing at the time. He retired long before Henry because of his more prominent brow and more vulnerable skin. Born in Southwark, south-east London, Cooper always saw himself as an "Elephant" boy, meaning the Elephant and Castle area, famous in the early part of the century for horse-trading. There, his half-Irish grandfather bought and sold horses. The Thomas a Becket gym, where Cooper trained for the Ali world title fight, was part of that heritage. Cooper's father, also called Henry, had been a Royal Artillery regular from 1919. A useful amateur boxer, he had inherited a gift with horses and was a driver in gun teams inspected by King George V. He served in Burma from 1942, leaving Lily, his wife, to fend for the twins and their elder brother, Bern. The family had moved to a council estate in Bellingham, south-east London, in 1940, but the twins were soon evacuated to Lancing, West Sussex.

The boys returned to Athelney Road school, queueing for rations, chopping wood, doing paper rounds and generally living off their wits. "Golf balls were scarce so we'd nick them off the fairway, run round the clubhouse and sell 'em back to grateful members for a tanner," said Cooper, who later became a chairman of the Variety Club golf section. A natural left-hander, Cooper started to box as a normal right-hander, not a "southpaw", when a neighbour, Bob Hill, a local fireman, took the brothers along to Bellingham Boxing Club. As an amateur with Eltham Boxing Club, Cooper won 73 of 84 contests, including the ABA light-heavyweight championship in 1952. That year, at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, he suffered a second-stage points defeat to a Soviet boxer, Anatoli Petrov. The French judge awarded Cooper the verdict, but the other two, from communist countries, came down the other way. The twins turned professional after completing their national service with the "boxers' battalion" of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

Under the astute, paternal Wicks, Cooper won his first nine fights, the ninth against an old foe, the 15-stone Bygraves, which was especially rewarding. The next ended with a cut-eye retirement after a clash of heads with the Italian Uber Bacilieri. Early title challenges to Bygraves, Erskine and Ingemar Johansson ended in defeat, but his career took off with a points victory over the highly rated American Zora Folley, followed in December 1959 by the capture of the British and Empire belts from Brian London. Next came successful defences against Dick Richardson, Erskine, Johnny Prescott and London again. In a 1969 European title defence at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, against another Italian, Piero Tomasoni, Cooper suffered the lowest blow of his career – a dent seven inches below his navel in the aluminium cup covering his genitals. He fell to the canvas, only for the referee to carry on counting. He recovered to win on a fifth-round knockout, but kept the cup as a souvenir. There were three dents in it.

The world heavyweight fight in which Ali wounded Cooper's eye was the only one watched by his Italian-born wife, Albina. They had met while Albina, born in an Apennine village, was a 16-year-old serving in an Italian restaurant in Soho, central London. They married in 1960 and had two sons, Henry Marco and John Pietro. Appointed OBE in 1969, Cooper was voted BBC sports personality of the year in 1967 and 1970. He made no great fortune out of boxing. His decision to retire was already established before his last fight, against Bugner in July 1971. Modestly comfortable, he still needed to auction off his Lonsdale belts after the collapse of a Lloyd's of London syndicate lost him a huge lump of his savings. The Canterbury auction made only £40,000 where £100,000 was expected. He collaborated on books, including one with me in 1972, a taped and edited life story that succeeded David Niven's The Moon's a Balloon as a paperback bestseller, at 40p a copy.

For three years, Cooper chaired a team in the BBC's Question of Sport quizshow, his knowledge of sport proving encyclopedic. Advertisers homed in. For Brut, he would become associated with aftershave, for the NHS, he was a face to encourage flu jabs for the elderly. His charity work included raising funds for more than 100 Sunshine coaches for children who were ill or had disabilities. One of the coaches was named after Albina. In 1998, he famously suffered a snake bite in the golfing rough, which led to a spell in hospital over the Christmas holiday. More seriously, an obscure heart condition developed which latterly restricted both his golf and his charity work. His fighting spirit kept him going throughout. It was never in Cooper's nature to turn people away. Just before the referee Harry Gibbs died, in 1999, they shook hands. "For charity," Cooper said with a laugh. Hard as it might have been, that was the measure of the man. Albina's death from a sudden heart attack in 2008 was a profound blow to the family. George died in 2010. Cooper is survived by his sons.

John Rawling writes: Our 'Enry was undoubtedly something of a national treasure, but the story regarding the supposed splitting of the glove by Angelo Dundee – happily corroborated by Henry in his second career as an after-dinner speaker – was a mischievous manipulation of the truth which allowed Dundee to paint himself as the master trainer who pulled a stroke to help young Cassius Clay survive the knockdown. For his part, Henry was only too happy to acquiesce to a tale which added to the legend of 'Enry's 'Ammer, which so nearly defeated the heavyweight who would ultimately be recognised as the greatest of all time. In reality, analysis of the television recording and the radio broadcast, which survives in its entirety, reveals a somewhat more prosaic truth. Dundee did indeed call the referee to his corner to inspect Clay's glove, but the referee made no instruction for the glove to be changed and instead ruled that the contest could continue. The minute's interval was not stretched by 66 seconds, as some tales had it, but actually lasted a little longer than 66 seconds in total.

The matter was pointed out to me by the respected commentator and journalist Reg Gutteridge , who died in 2009, and was at ringside reporting the fight. It was supported by the first-hand accounts of those who were there and by Simon Smith's famous BBC radio commentary. The fact is that the glove incident was an embellishment of the truth that has entered sporting mythology as fact. For several years, I commentated with Henry at major fights for BBC radio. His iconic status meant that he was mobbed by autograph hunters wherever we were, to the extent that I would frequently feel more like a minder than a colleague. "Come on, Henry, we've got to get out of here to record that interview," was the advice that I would give to let him eventually walk away and make his exit from the arena. Unquestionably, Henry became increasingly irritated by the hype surrounding fighters such as Chris Eubank and especially Frank Bruno, whom he saw as a strong but limited fighter who was lucky to have ever had a chance to challenge once for a world title, let alone be given four opportunities.

It was after Bruno's 1995 victory against the similarly limited Oliver McCall, which brought the Englishman the WBC version of the heavyweight title, that Henry walked away from commentary. He had not gone along with the jingoistic adulation of Bruno in his moment of triumph, and was criticised in some quarters for giving what was seen as only grudging praise. Thereafter, Henry filled his time making numerous public appearances and playing a very decent, if less than aesthetically pleasing, game of golf. He was a charming companion, and always prepared to give his time to young and old. When asked to explain Henry's enduring popularity, I would explain that if he were to be offered £10,000 to make an after-dinner speech, and it clashed with an unpaid appearance at a boys' club when he had given his word that he would attend, Henry would unhesitatingly refuse the fat cheque and be there for the youngsters. He was a good boxer, but an outstanding man.

• Henry Cooper, boxer, born 3 May 1934; died 1 May 2011 British boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper dies aged 76 - BBC Sport BBC Sport British boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper dies aged 76 2 May 2011 Media playback is not supported on this device Sir Henry Cooper Heavyweight boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper has died at the age of 76 at his son's house in Oxted, Surrey. The former British, Commonwealth and European champion fought 55 times and is revered for his 1963 knockdown of Muhammad Ali - then Cassius Clay. In a statement, Ali said he would miss his "old friend", calling him "a great fighter and a gentleman". London-born Cooper, who won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award twice, was knighted in 2000. Alongside Frank Bruno, Tommy Farr and Lennox Lewis, Cooper is considered one of the great British heavyweights.

After an amateur career that included an appearance as an 18-year-old in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Henry and his twin brother George, who died last year, both turned professional at 20 in 1954. He went on to enjoy a hugely successful professional career, but never won a world title and retired, aged 36, in 1971 after losing to Joe Bugner, a year after becoming the first person to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year on two occasions (1967 and 1970). Cooper, who is the only British boxer to have won three Lonsdale belts outright, is best remembered for his two famous clashes with Ali in the 1960s. What a sad day. May your memory live on Your tributes to Sir Henry Cooper He floored the American in the fourth round with 'Enery's 'Ammer - his trademark left hook - but Ali eventually won the 1963 non-title fight at Wembley. Ali later said on British television that Cooper "hit me so hard that my ancestors in Africa felt it".

Responding to the news of Cooper's death, Muhammad Ali said he was "at a loss for words" over the death of his friend. "Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile", he said. "It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company. I will miss my old friend. He was a great fighter and a gentleman." Ali triumphed again when they boxed three years later but Cooper remained a favourite with the British public. Cooper famously floored Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, in 1963 Following his retirement he pursued a successful career in television as a pundit and was also a published author. He was a popular captain on the BBC quiz show A Question of Sport. Britain's world heavyweight champion David Haye used his Twitter feed to pay tribute to Cooper, who would have celebrated his 77th birthday on Tuesday. "One of Britain's greatest sports man Sir Henry Cooper passed away today. A true warrior and great human being. Rest in Peace," Haye wrote. Ireland's former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan told the BBC: "He was a lovely fella, and I was a personal friend of him and his wife.

"It really is tragic news for the world of boxing. What a great man he was." Share this page British Boxing Legend Sir Henry Cooper Dies Aged 76 (2 May 2011) British Boxing Legend Sir Henry Cooper Dies Aged 76 (2 May 2011) British Boxing Legend Sir Henry Cooper Dies Aged 76 (2 May 2011) Current Rating: British Boxing Legend Sir Henry Cooper Dies Aged 76 (2 May 2011) Cooper famously floored Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, in 1963 Quote: Heavyweight boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper has died at the age of 76 at his son's house in Oxted, Surrey. The former British, Commonwealth and European champion fought 55 times and is revered for his 1963 knockdown of Muhammad Ali - then Cassius Clay. In a statement, Ali said he would miss his "old friend", calling him "a great fighter and a gentleman". London-born Cooper, who won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award twice, was knighted in 2000.

Alongside Frank Bruno, Tommy Farr and Lennox Lewis, Cooper is considered one of the great British heavyweights. After an amateur career that included an appearance as an 18-year-old in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Henry and his twin brother George, who died last year, both turned professional at 20 in 1954. He went on to enjoy a hugely successful professional career, but never won a world title and retired, aged 36, in 1971 after losing to Joe Bugner, a year after becoming the first person to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year on two occasions (1967 and 1970). Cooper, who is the only British boxer to have won three Lonsdale belts outright, is best remembered for his two famous clashes with Ali in the 1960s. He floored the American in the fourth round with 'Enry's 'Ammer - his trademark left hook - but Ali eventually won the 1963 non-title fight at Wembley. Ali later said on British television that Cooper "hit me so hard that my ancestors in Africa felt it".

Responding to the news of Cooper's death, Muhammad Ali said he was "at a loss for words" over the death of his friend. "Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile", he said. "It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company. I will miss my old friend. He was a great fighter and a gentleman." Ali triumphed again when they boxed three years later but Cooper remained a favourite with the British public. Following his retirement he pursued a successful career in television as a pundit and was also a published author. He was a popular captain on the BBC quiz show A Question of Sport. Britain's world heavyweight champion David Haye used his Twitter feed to pay tribute to Cooper, who would have celebrated his 77th birthday on Tuesday. "One of Britain's greatest sports man Sir Henry Cooper passed away today. A true warrior and great human being. Rest in Peace," Haye wrote. Ireland's former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan told the BBC: "He was a lovely fella, and I was a personal friend of him and his wife. "It really is tragic news for the world of boxing.

What a great man he was." Former heavyweight contender Henry Cooper dies at age 76 - USATODAY.com Former heavyweight contender Henry Cooper dies at age 76 Updated LONDON (AP)  Former heavyweight boxer Henry Cooper , one of Britain's most popular sportsmen who was best known for knocking down Muhammad Ali while he was still known as Cassius Clay , died Sunday. He was 76. By PA Wire, AP Henry Cooper, best known for knocking down Muhammad Ali when he was formerly known as Cassius Clay, died Sunday. He was 76. Enlarge Close By PA Wire, AP Henry Cooper, best known for knocking down Muhammad Ali when he was formerly known as Cassius Clay, died Sunday. He was 76. The first boxer to be knighted and receive the title "Sir" from a British monarch, Cooper died just two days before his 77th birthday, the British Boxing Board of Control said. He died at his son's house in Oxted, Surrey, in southern England, after an extended illness. SHANE MOSLEY: Facing scrutiny before facing Pacquiao "I am at a loss for words over the death of my friend, Henry Cooper," Ali said in a statement.

Cooper floored Ali, then an up-and-coming contender named Clay, in a 1963 non-title fight at Wembley Stadium . Cooper threw a trademark left hook — known by fans and British boxing writers as "'Enry's 'Ammer" in acknowledgment of his south London accent — toward the end of the fourth round, catching the much larger Ali flush on the jaw and sending him through the ropes and onto the canvas. Ali, who later said the knockdown punch "not only shook me, it shook my relations in Africa," won the bout by technical knockout in the next round while trailing on the scorecard. The two fought again in 1966 at London's Highbury Stadium. This time, Ali came in as the world champion and he retained his belt by stopping a bloodied Cooper in the sixth round. Ali said he visited with Cooper two summers ago during a visit to Windsor. "Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile," Ali said. "It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company. I will miss my ole friend. He was a great fighter and a gentleman.

My family and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family and loved ones." Cooper, who won the British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight titles but never the world crown, remained revered in Britain as much for his warm personality and gentlemanly manner as a 40-14-1 record in a professional career spanning more than 16 years. "He's not the only one who wasn't good enough to beat Ali," said Robert Smith , the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control. "For such a small man, he put up some great performances in a world-class context. "It's not just the boxing and your ability, it's the personality as well. He won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year on two occasions, which is a tremendous feat for a boxer. Everyone called him 'Our Enry,' and he was much loved. He served boxing wonderfully." Many fans in the partisan Wembley crowd believed Cooper was only denied victory over Ali in the 1963 fight by debatable tactics from his corner. Trainer Angelo Dundee brought a rip in Ali's gloves to the attention of the referee, and Ali had time to recover while new gloves were located and brought to the ring. He then stopped Cooper in the next round.

Cooper retired in 1971 shortly after losing his British, European and Commonwealth belts to Joe Bugner by a quarter of a point. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. "He transcended boxing," promoter Frank Warren said. "He was a true gentleman of sport and had a huge place in the public's affection. He never won the world title but he had true British grit, he tried. "His weakness was that he cut very easily." Recent British champions paid their respects to Cooper, who also fought Floyd Patterson . "One of Britain's greatest sportsmen Sir Henry Cooper passed away today," WBA heavyweight champion David Haye tweeted. "A true warrior and great human being. Rest in Peace." Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis tweeted: "R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper. Former British, Commonwealth and European Champion. My deepest condolences to the Cooper family." WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan said that his compatriot had encouraged him in the early stages of his professional career. "I met Henry in London a few times. He was very humble. We had a good conversation about my own career and what steps I should be taking," Khan told BBC radio.

"He told me not to rush it as a pro, pick the right fights at the right time. I'm young, and there are bigger fights ahead. "It was great advice." Cooper's twin brother, George, who turned professional with him in 1965, died last year. Cooper's wife of 47 years, Albina, died in 2008 of a heart attack. The couple had two sons, Henry Marco and John Pietro. _ AP Sports Writer Rob Murray in London contributed to this report. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more information about reprints & permissions , visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com .

Posted Henry Cooper: The first man to floor 'The Greatest' - CNN.com Henry Cooper: The first man to floor 'The Greatest' By Tom McGowan Tributes flood in for heavyweight boxer Henry Cooper after his death aged 76 Cooper was the first fighter to floor Muhammad Ali, during a fight in 1963 Ali: "I will miss my old friend, he was a great fighter and a gentleman" (CNN) -- Henry Cooper, the British former heavyweight boxer who was the first fighter to floor Muhammad Ali, died on Sunday aged 76. Cooper fought Ali, who was then known as Cassius Clay, at London's Wembley Arena in 1963 and sent the American falling into the ropes with a fierce left hook in the fourth round. The London-born fighter eventually lost the bout after the 21-year-old Ali caused him to bleed profusely from a cut above the eye, but Cooper's niche in boxing history had already been carved. The pair met again three years later when the American was heavyweight champion of the world. It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company.

I will miss my old friend --Muhammad Ali London Once again cuts suffered by Cooper gave the fight to the boxer who would go on to be dubbed "The Greatest." The man known as "Our 'Enry" in his homeland turned professional at the age of 20 and went on to claim British and European heavyweight championships during a 17-year career. "Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile," Ali, 69, told the UK's Press Association when asked about Cooper -- who received a knighthood in 2000. "It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company. I will miss my old friend. He was a great fighter and a gentleman. "I was not aware he was ill. I visited with him two summers ago during a brief visit to Windsor as part of the Equestrian Games being held there. He was in good humor and looked quite fit." Britain's current world heavyweight champion, David Haye, also paid his tribute. "A true warrior and a great human being has passed away. Rest in peace," the WBA belt-holder said.

Away from the ring, Cooper was an immensely popular figure in Britain, being the face of several high-profile advertising campaigns as well as being a regular on the golf charity circuit, co-hosting the Bob Hope tournament played in England on the European Tour. Share this on: Henry Cooper - BoxRec Henry Cooper Henry Cooper wearing his Lonsdale Belts. (1968) Cooper drops Muhammad Ali during their 1963 bout. Name: Henry Cooper Hometown: Bellingham, London, United Kingdom Stance: Orthodox Henry Cooper Gallery Henry Cooper is best known for his two fights against Muhammad Ali . Cooper and Ali—then Cassius Clay—first fought at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on June 18, 1963 . Cooper dropped Ali with a left hook in the final seconds of the fourth round. The start of the next round was delayed after it was discovered that Ali's right glove had been torn. When the fight resumed, Ali opened a bad cut over Cooper's left eye. Referee Tommy Little stopped the fight at 2:15 of the fifth round and awarded Ali a TKO victory.

Cooper and Ali fought again at Arsenal Football Stadium in London, England, on May 21, 1966 . Ali, who entered the fight as the World Heavyweight Champion , successfully defended the title for the fourth time by stopping Cooper on a cut at 1:38 of the sixth round. Amateur Achievements Defeated Joe Erskine (Wales) on points. Defeated John McLean (Scotland) on points. 1952 Great Britain light heavyweight representative at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. Results: 1st round bye Lost to Anatoly Perov (Soviet Union) on points 1-2. 1953 ABA Light Heavyweight Champion. Results: Defeated T.W. George (Wales) TKO 3. Defeated Anthony Madigan (Australia) on points. Pro Titles Muhammad Ali leads tributes to Sir Henry Cooper | Sport | The Guardian Muhammad Ali leads tributes to Sir Henry Cooper • 'I will miss my ole friend. He was a great fighter' Henry Cooper lands a punch on Muhammad Ali in their heavyweight title fight in June 1963.

Photograph: Popperfoto/Popperfoto/Getty Images Press Association Monday 2 May 2011 05.38 EDT First published on Monday 2 May 2011 05.38 EDT Close This article is 5 years old Muhammad Ali has led tributes to the boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper, who has died at the age of 76 . Sir Henry died at his son's house in Surrey on Sunday, two days before his 77th birthday. Ali, who was famously floored by Sir Henry but went on to become a close friend, said he was "at a loss for words". "I was not aware he was ill. I visited with him two summers ago during a brief visit to Windsor as part of the Equestrian Games being held there. He was in good humour and looked quite fit. "Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile. It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company. I will miss my ole friend. He was a great fighter and a gentleman." Famous Ring Wars – Sir Henry Cooper vs. Cassius Clay - Boxing News Famous Ring Wars – Sir Henry Cooper vs.

Cassius Clay May 10th, 2011 - 9 Comments By John F. McKenna (McJack): Sir Henry Cooper who died on May 1, 2011 at the age of 76, was the most popular British boxer of the post war era. He held the British Heavyweight Title for twelve years. Cooper’s most memorable fight was against Cassius Clay two years before he became Muhammad Ali. The fight took place at Wembley Stadium in June of 1963 before 35,000 pro Cooper fans. Clay had predicted to the press that he would knock Cooper out in five rounds. Cooper had a reputation for being a “bleeder” and when blood started flowing from his eyes in the third round Clay’s bragging seemed to be justified. It was apparent however in the third round that the young Clay had badly misjudged his opponent as Cooper began to land his dangerous left hook. In the fourth round Cooper’s left hook repeatedly found it’s mark. Surprisingly Cooper also appeared to be physically stronger than his larger rival and began to use his ring experience to rough up Clay.

The only question for Cooper and his loyal fans was would he be able to nail Clay before the blood from his eyes started gushing out forcing a stoppage. As the round progressed Clay back pedaled away from the advancing Cooper. Just before the end of round four, Cooper caught Clay with a powerful left hook along the ropes. Clay fell to the canvas as if being pole axed. It was a textbook perfect left hook thrown with speed and power. Clay was totally out of it as he was directed back to his corner and his trainer Angelo Dundee started administering smelling salts to revive his fighter. It is alleged that at this point Angelo, who knew every trick in the book, sliced one of Clay’s gloves with a razor to buy more time for Cassius who was still very groggy and in no condition to continue. Dundee then called the referee’s attention to the glove. Of course the glove had to be replaced. This gave Cassius the time he needed to recover. In the next round Clay danced around and targeted Cooper’s eyes which started to bleed profusely. The referee was forced to stop the fight giving Clay a TKO victory.

Cooper had given Clay a lot more than he bargained for and it was the closest he would ever come to being knocked out. Clay would go on to win the Heavyweight Title from Sonny Liston in 1964 when Liston quit on his stool between rounds. He would again defeat Liston a year later when Sonny fell down in the first round after being hit with the “Phantom Punch” While Clay was backing up. When Clay became Muhammad Ali he would achieve fistic greatness and become one of the greatest Heavyweight Champions of all time. He would fight Joe Frazier and Kenny Norton three times each and cap off his brilliant career with the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire when he knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round. Nobody ever hit Ali the way Sir Henry Cooper did back at Wembley in 1963. Cooper came very close to derailing the career of the young Cassius Clay. He can thank Angelo Dundee’s quick thinking for that. Cooper was much loved in his native England and was honored with Knighthood in 2000, becoming the first and only boxer to be so honored.

He was Knighted mostly for his charitable work but also for the manner in which he conducted himself as a fighter. Always courteous, the thought of hype and trash talking that goes on with today’s fighters was repulsive to Cooper. Cooper’s loyal fans had a pet name for his famed Left hook. They called it “Enery’s Ammer”. Muhammad Ali had the utmost respect for Cooper. Whenever he spoke with British scribes he would always ask how he was doing. The boxing world will surely miss Sir Henry Cooper and the gentleman that he was.

Question: Which British heavyweight boxing champion died on 1st. May 2011 at the age of 76?
Answer: HENRY COOPER